Self-righting support



June 27, 1933. Q I LILLY 1,915,466

SELF RIGHTING SUPPORT Filed June 27, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l H'NWENT B ATTOfi June 27, 1933. w. LILLY SELF RIGHTING SUPPORT Filed June 27, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTo fi Y 7 Patented June 27, 1933 UNITEDJQSTA WILLIAM LILLY, or crusade, ILLInoIs sens-Breanne scrronr Application filed June 27,

This invention relates'to self-righting supports and has for an object a device of this character moreespecially for use 'on water and air-craft to maintain nautical instruments and other devices level, despite the pitch and rollof the craft.

According to this invention, a weighted member having a spherical surface issupported by means of anti-friction balls interposed between said surface and a concentric spherical surface formed in a support carried by the water or other craft, the balls being mounted in a freelymovable cage. A comass or other device is carried by the weighted member. VVhen'the craft rolls or pitches or both pitches and rolls, the weighted member remains level although it moves relative to the support. When the device isused as a compass mount, the design is such that the '20 point of support ofthe compass needleis concentric with the spherical surfaces.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention will beapparent from the following specificationand accompany- 25 ing drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodi-- ment of the invention.

Fig. 2 isa plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a section on the line'3-3 of Fig. 4 is a plan view of the ball cage. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 isa plan view'partially broken away of a modified form'of the invention, and

Fig. 7 is a section'on the line 7 70f Fig. 6..

35 Referring now more especially to Figs; 1 to 5 inclusive, .10 is a standardprovided at its upper end with a ring 11. An annulus 12 is resiliently supported from the ring 11 by means of springs 13. A cup 14 is carried by the annulus 12 and is provided with an inner surface of spherical contour. Within the cup 1A there is provided a member 15 having a spherical surface concentric with the inner surface of the cup 14. This member is supported by means of anti-friction balls 16 preferably four in number interposed between the inner surface of the cup and the outer surface of said member, the diameter of these balls preferably being equal to the 59 difierence between the radii of the outer sur- 1930. Serial No. 464,138. I

face of the member 15 and the inner surface of the cup 14:. a cage 17 comprising an annular section and a bridge section. When the parts are in the po-sltlon shown in Fig. 3, one ball 16 is retained by the bridge section of the cage directly below the center of thetwo spherical surfaces and the other three balls are retained by the annular section with their centers lyin in a horizontal plane and uniformly spaced. Y

The member 15 is weighted with lead as indicated at 15a so that its center of gravity lies below the geometrical center of its spher lcal surface. The member 15 will therefore tend to remain in level position even though the standard 10 may be moved into different angularpositions and to return the member 14; to level position should it be displaced from such position. A standard compass18 is mounted in the member 15 and thepoint of support of thecompass needleis preferably made concentric with thespherical surfaces of the member 15v and the cup 14.-

In the device abovedescribed, thecompass is retained in horizontal position through relative rotation of the member'15 and cup 14. This relative rotation is made possible by the anti-friction balls 16 which roll on the spherical surfaces of both the member 15 and the cup 1A. Free rolling of the balls is per mitted due to the fact that the cage 17 is free 1y movable. I

Thedevice above described may be embodied in a mounting in which the cup is replaced with a complete sphere thereby allow: ing complete inversion of the standard such as would occur while flying air-craft upside down or in making loops.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7 20 is a standard terminating in a circular table 21 having a flange 22. The table is provided with a central aperture, and an annular bearing member 23 is arranged in a recess surrounding said aperture. A second bearing member 24 is supported from the first bearing member by means of anti-friction balls 25 contained in an annular cage 26. The bearing member 24 is provided with a flanged member 27 from which project radial studs These balls are mounted in I a two surfaces/1A pendulum 35 is fastened at cal surface3there being an aperture in the bottom of the cup. A spherical member 32 is supported from the cup by means of antifriction balls 33 mounted in afreely movable cage 34. The inner surface of the cup and the outer surface of the sphere are con- 1 centric and the diameter of theballs is equal to the difference-between the radii of the oneend tothe'isphere 32 and carries at. its otherr' endf'anradjustable weighti36. A :suppox-t3? is mounted on the sphere by means of a stud 38 diametrically opposite the pens dulum:'35. J In'this modificationthe center of gravity of the pendulum 35 andball'32 lies below the geometrical center of the ball 32 and the plate 37 is maintained in substantially horizontal position at all times. The pendulum tend'sto remain vertical despite the roll or pitch of the ship and friction is reducedto a minimum by use of the balls 33, whichrroll bothon the surfaces of the sphere 32 and the inner surfaces of'thecup31. Any lateral movement ofzthe standard20 is cushioned through the springs 30 which permit relativemovement :ofithe cup 31 and thes'tandard 20.

I Ibis apparent that the device above described maybe utilizedin a great many ways,

' forexample, itmay'be=utilized*'as a support for a telescopeya; bed, a chair, a: camera, an operatingitable or platform, an observation platform for takingobservations with asextalnt and artificial horizon or asa support for machinesand other types of guns mounted on ships, motor trucks or railwaycarriagesi In fact, itunaybemadeuse of wherever it is desirable to maintain an instrumentdevice of "apparatus I in a predetermined" position regardless of the-motion of the structure upon which it is mounted. j "Iris of *COUNe understood thatvarious structural modifications maybe made without in anyway departing from the spirit of the invention as definedflinthe appended claims. f 1

Iclaim: c 1 1 I; In a device ofs-the character described,

a supporting and a supported member having concentric concave and convex surfaces, anti-friction balls interposed between said surfaces, said supported member having its center of gravity below the geometric center of its surface, and a freely movable cage in which said balls aremounted, said-cage comprising an" annular 'sectionoand an arched bridgejsection, one of said balls being mounted in said bridge section and the remaining beingmounted in said annular section.

2. In a device of the character described, a table, a carrier, resilient means extending between saidtable andcarrier tending to oppose movement of the carrier relative to the table, a supporting and a supported member having concentric concave and convex surfaces said supporting member being mounted on said carrier, anti-friction balls interposed-between said convex and concave surfaces, a freely movable cage in which said balls are mounted, said supported member having its centerof gravity below the geometric center of its spherical. surface. a

3. In a device of thecharacter described, a table, a carrier, anti-friction balls interposed between saidtable and carrier, resilient means tending to oppose lateralmovement of said carrier, a supporting and: a supported member having concentric spherical concave and convex surfaces, said supporting member being mounted on said caI'rier, anti-friction balls interposed between said convex and concave-surfaces, a freely movable cage inwwhich said balls are mounted, and a pendulum depending from said supported member, 1

' 4. In a device of t'he character described, a support having: a continuous concavespherical: surface, a member having a continuous convex spherical surface concentric withsaid concave surface, anti-friction balls interposed mainder being mountedi-in'said: annular- 1section; 1

In testimony whereof, I havesigned'my name to this specification.

WILLIAM LILLY. 

